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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Gratituesday: Swimming

I'm a Pisces, so it makes sense that I've loved water for as long as I can remember. I don't remember very much about living in the city when I was a baby, but one of my first memories is of walking home with my grandmother, and seeing a bunch of kids playing in the undone fire hydrant. The super of the building was about to close it off, and my grandmother convinced him to let it go for a few more minutes so I could play in it before going up to the apartment. It was a very happy few minutes, and obviously left an indelible mark on me, in the same way that getting Italian ices from a cart and Swedish fish from the video rental store did.

Many of my happiest memories are from our trips to the shore in Rhode Island every summer when I was a child or of the lake in my hometown where my friends and I used to swim and canoe and lifeguard when we were teenagers. Although I have gotten a little seasick on a few boats before, one of the greatest feelings I know is being exhausted after a day at the beach, and lying in bed, still feeling the motion of the waves. I'm one of those people who thinks its really important that we cry saltwater.

And, this semester, I started getting back into lap-swimming. I'd done laps a few times at college, and always felt too tired too quickly, so I wasn't sure I'd like swimming now. I decided to try one day anyway, and discovered I really love it. I swim much slower now, but the water is warm and I feel held the entire time. And, going to the sauna afterward helped a lot. I haven't been since the semester ended, but I'm hoping that after this running streak is over, I'll get back into it.

And, of course, for weekends at the beach. I'm always hoping for weekends at the beach.